Vapor diffusers



W. PAXTON VAPOR DIFFUSERS Filed May 28. 1954 INVENTOR. WORTHEN PAXTON BY M Q A TORNEY Feb. 26, 1957 Fl Ill I I I I l I I II United States Patent I VAPOR DIFFUSERS Worthen Paxton, Port Chester, N. Y., assignor to Airkem,

This invention relates to vapor diffusing devices of the type utilized to introduce freshening agents, odor counteractants, perfumes and other air treating agents into the air. More particularly the invention relates to diffuser devices of the class described comprising a plurality of detachable parts which can readily be moved as a unit from place to place for arrangement and use on suitable horizontal supporting surfaces.

In the introduction of volatilizable materials or air treating agents into the air from solid or solidified bodies containing a quantity of such materials, numerous types of dispensing devices have been developed. For the most part these devices are intended for some particular manner of hanging or suspension, association with an article of furniture, orthe like and are not readily adapted for general use throughout various rooms and other living and working spaces. 1

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved vapor diffusing device which is simple and economic in construction and, at the same time attractive in appearance and suitable for display and use in any room, in homes, ofiices and the like. A further object of the invention is to provide a vapor diffusing device comprising a plurality of readily detachable parts which are normally supported in sufiiciently engaged relationship to permit free movement of the device without inadvertent displacement of the parts. Another object of the invention is to provide a vapor diflusingdevice having an internal construction which facilitates improved circulation of air therethrough in picking up air treating agents for introduction into the atmosphere.

These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein preferred adaptations of the invention are shown in the several views, wherein the individual parts of the device are identified by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a vapor ditfuserin accordance with the present invention with part of the external structure broken away;

Fig. 2' is a top plan view of the device as shown-in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view through the base portion of the device as shown in Fig. 1 taken along a radius through said base;

Fig. 4 shows opposed quarter sectional views substantially along the broken line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the outer diffuser part taken along the line 5-5 of .Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawing the vapor diffusing device or unit comprises an outer casing part 11 closely. and telescopically engaging an inner casing part 12 having an integral base portion 13. The outer casing part 11 is rotatable with respect to the inner casing part'12 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 14 registering with other. apertures 15 in the inner casing 'part12. For purpose of illustration the inner and outer casing parts ice have been shown as having upper and lower rows of apertures each containing 8 apertures equally spaced circumferentiallyv of the device. While this arrangement of apertures in conjunction with the internal construction of the device provides for a good circulation of air therethrough, it will be understood that changes in the number and arrangement of apertures can be made without departing from the invention.

By relative rotation of the inner and outer casing parts the apertures, shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing in a partially open position, can be moved from positions in which the apertures 14 and 15 are completely out of alignment, thereby substantially sealing the device against discharge of vapors therefrom to positions in which the apertures 14 and 15 are in direct alignment permitting maximum circulation of air through the device and maximum escape of volatilizable' material from within the device.

The walls of the outer casing 11 and inner casing 12 are of essentially frusto-conical contour, tapering slightly toward the top of the device. The top of the inner casing part 12 is open to permit insertion of a body of air treating material 16 when the outer casing part 11 ,is detached. The top of the outer casingpart 11 is closed by an end wall 17 of slightly domed or conical contour, and the outer surfaces of the top walls 17 and u per side walls of the casing part 11 are provided with jproctruding ribs Iii-intermediate the apertures 14. The ribs 18 which can be modified from a design stand-point provide finger engaging means facilitating rotation of the outer casing part 11 in adjusting alignments of theapertures 14 and 15.

The body of air treating material 16 may be any solid or essentially solidified material comprising volatile substances adapted for air freshening, odor counteraction, or other treatments of the air, including products which are essentially liquid mediums solidified by a small amount of gelling agent and products which have volatilizable material absorbed or adsorbed on a suitable carrier, such as pumice. Whilethe body of air treating agent.16 can assume any desired shape, it is preferably a cylindrical body somewhat shorter than the height ofthe unit 10 as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing and in the dotted line showing of Fig. 1. In association with acylindrical body of air treating material, the inner wall structure of the device tapering toward the top as above described and as shown in the drawing provides a relatively wide annular chamber 19 at the lower end of the body 16 in which vapors given oft by the body 16 canbe adequately mixed with air entering the apertures 14, 15. Higher in the unit 10 the clearance between the body 16 and the inner casing part 12 is more restricted and this has an advantageous affect on utilization of the air treating agent from various points throughout the height of the body 16.

The parts of the unit 10 can be fashioned from various materials, such as metal, glass, and plastics and are particularly well suited for production by molding of plastic material. The inner casing part 12 and bottom 13 which are integral in the finished unit are suitably produced as separate members having aligning means as indicated by the shoulder 2f) on the base 13 seating in the under cut 21 on the inner easing part 12, the parts being secured-t0- gether preferably by cementing along these interfitting areas.

The shoulder 2b is on an upwardly extending peripheral part of the base 13 having in cross section a wedge-shaped contour 22 to form a restricted inner bottom wall 23 in saidbase part which provides means for properly aligning the cylindrical body 16 of air treating material in the unit 10. outwardly of the wedge-shaped part 22 the base 13-is provided with an annular recess 24 for receiving the lower edge of the outer casing part 11. In alignment with the wedge-shaped part 22 the inner casing part 12 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced and outwardly flexed tongues 25 for engagement with the inner wall of the outer casing part 11. The frictional engagement between the outer casing part 11 and the outwardly flexed tongues 25 (four being shown for purpose of illustration) is sufficient to prevent accidental displacement of the outer casing part from the inner casing part in moving the device while at the same time permitting free rotation of the parts and separation of the parts when it is desired to gain access to the interior of the device.

Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing show a slight modification of the construction previously described wherein the outwardly flexed tongues 25 register with recesses or depressions 26 in the inner surface of the outer casing part 11. The recesses 26 can suitably be of a length to limit rotary movement of the tongues 25 to control a range of registration of apertures 14, in the casing parts from a fully open to fully closed position, thus facilitating operation and adjustment of the device. The ends of the recesses 26 can be tapered or beveled as seen at 27 so that forcible rotation of the parts beyond the normal stop position will disengage the tongues from grooves 26 and permit separation of the inner and outer casing parts. Alternatively a beveled lower edge 28 of the recess 26 as seen in Fig. 5 cooperating with a tongue 25 having a rounded lower end would also permit forcible separation of the parts while providing positive support against accidental displacement thereof. If desired the recess 26 can be a circumferential recess extending entirely around the inner wall of the casing part 11, but with such construction it will be evident that the automatic stop feature above mentioned would not be present.

In the construction as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the outwardly flexed tongues 25 engaging inner surfaces of the outer casing part 11 tends to support the same against unintentional longitudinal movement by frictional engagement alone or by a combination of frictional engagement and clamping engagement with the groove 24. Thus if the outer casing part is fashioned from plastic material, the tongues 25 can supply sufficient pressure to slightly distort the lower edge of the casing part 11 forcing the portions thereof in alignment with the tongues 25 into close engagement with the opposed wall portions of the groove'24. When this combined frictional and clamping engagement is desired it will be evident that some flexibility should be provided in the casing part and the groove 24 should be of a dimension to restrict the normal fiexure (2); the outer casing part 11 as it is engaged by the tongues Various changes and modifications in the vapor dif fusing device herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the art and to the extent that such changes and modifications are embraced by the appended claims, it is to be understood that they constitute part of my invention.

I claim:

1. A vapor diffuser device adapted for arrangement on horizontal supporting surfaces, said device comprising a base having integral therewith an elongated tubular part open at the upper end thereof forming a chamber in said base for receiving vapor emanating material, said tubular part having a plurality of apertures therein for circulatton of air and vapors, and an elongated cap closed at the upper end thereof and having close telescopic engagement with said tubular part, said cap having apertures adapted to be aligned with the apertures in said tubular part, means securing together said cap and tubular part to prevent accidental displacement thereof while permitting relative rotation therebetween, cooperating surfaces of said tubular part and cap having a slightly frusto-conical taper converging in the direction of the upper end of the device, and inwardly beveled means at the lower inner periphery of said base providing means for centralizing a cylindrical. body of vapor emanating material within the device.

2. A vapor diffuser device adapted for arrangement on horizontal supporting surfaces, said device comprise 4 I ing a base having integral therewith an elongated tubular part open at the upper end thereof forming a chamber in said base for receiving vapor emanating material, said tubular part having a plurality of apertures therein for circulation of air and vapors, and an elongated cap closed at the upper end thereof and having close telescopic engagement with said tubular part, said cap having apertures adapted to be aligned with the apertures in said tubular part, means securing together said cap and tubular part to prevent accidental displacement thereof while permitting relative rotation thcrebetween, cooperating surfaces of said tubular part and cap having a slightly frusto-conical taper converging in the direction of the upper end of the device, and the means for retaining the cap and tubular part against accidental displacement comprising a plurality of outwardly flexed resilient tongues at the lower end of said tubular part.

3. A vapor diffuser device adapted for arrangement on horizontal supporting surfaces, said device comprising a base having integral therewith an elongated tubular part open at the upper end thereof forming a chamber in said base for receiving vapor emanating material, said tubular part having a plurality of apertures therein for circulationof air and vapors, and an elongated cap closed at the upper end thereof and having close telescopic engagement with said tubular part, said cap having apertures adapted to be aligned with the apertures in said tubular part, means securing together said cap and tubular part to prevent accidental displacement thereof while per mitting relative rotation therebetween, cooperating surfaces of said tubular part and cap having a slightly frusto-conical taper converging in the direction of the upper end of the device, said base having an enlarged circumferential flange protruding laterally from said tubular part and said flange having an annular groove adjacent said tubular part for receiving the lower edge of said cap, and the means for retaining the cap and tubular part against accidental displacement comprising a plurality of outwardly flexed resilient tongues at the lower end of said tubular part providing a clamping engagement between the lower edge of said cap and the annular groove in said flange.

4. A vapor diffuser device adapted for arrangement on horizontal supporting surfaces, said device comprising a base having integral therewith an elongated tubular part open at the upper end thereof forming a chamber in said base for receiving vapor emanating material, said tubular part having a plurality of apertures therein for circulation of air and vapors, and an elongated cap closed at the upper end thereof and having close telescopic engagement with said tubular part, said cap having apertures adapted to be aligned with the apertures in said tubular part, means securing together said cap and tubular part to prevent accidental displacement thereof while permitting relative rotation therebetween, cooperating surfaces of said tubular part and cap having a slightly frusto-conical taper converging in the direction of the upper end of the device, and the means for retaining the cap and tubular part against accidental displacement comprising a plurality of outwardly flexed resilient tongues at the lower end of said tubular part, said tongues engaging recessed means in the wall of said cap.

5. A vapor ditfuser device adapted for arrangement on horizontal supporting surfaces, said device comprising a base having integral therewith an elongated tubular part open at the upper end thereof forming a chamber in said base for receiving vapor emanating material, said tubular part having a plurality of apertures therein for circulation of air and vapors, and an elongated cap closed at the upper end thereof and having close telescopic engagement with said tubular part, said cap having apertures adapted to be aligned with the apertures in said tubular part, means securing together said cap and tubular part to prevent accidental displacement thereof while permitting relative rotation therebetween, cooperating surfaces of said tubular part and cap having a slightly frusto-conical taper converging in the direction of the upper end of the device, the means for retaining the cap and tubular part against accidental displacement comprising a plurality of outwardly flexed resilient tongues at the lower end of said tubular part, said tongues engaging recessed means in the Wall of said cap, said recessed means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced undercuts each having a circumferential length cooperating with said tongues to permit rotary movement of said cap between positions of complete alignment and complete non-alignment of the apertures in said cap and tubular part, and the edges of said undercuts being beveled to facilitate forcible disengagement with respect to said tongues.

6. A vapor diffuser device comprising inner and outer telescopically arranged parts, each of said parts having similarly arranged apertures, and said parts being relatively rotatable to move said apertures from positions 6 of complete alignment to positions of complete non-alignment, and resilient means on one of said parts engaging the other of said parts to prevent unintended longitudinal movement between the parts, said inner part including a laterally protruding circumferential flange forming a base thereon, an annular groove in said flange for receiving said outer part, and the resilient retaining means comprising outwardly fiexed tongues on said inner part closely adjacent said annular groove providing a clamping engagement of said outer part within said annular groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 439,317 Allen Oct. 28, 1890 2,555,047 Logue May 29, 1951 2,603,532 Wheeler et a1. July 15, 1952 2,657,090 Meek Oct. 28, 1953 2,708,595 Ludwig May 17, 1955 v 

